Do other people get upset by "Italian jokes"/stereotypes?
Just wanted to see if I'm overreacting (genuinely).
I never bother anyone who says these things, but it does actually hurt me when someone asks about my background, I say I'm Italian (Italian American) and they start making jokes or have a negative reaction. A few months ago I also was asked to do an event showcasing some Italian American foods and how to make them, which I happily did and shared some of my own family's recipes, I was honored to do it. A good friend made fun of it as I was talking about planning it, laughing and saying "no one cares that you're Italian". Casual friends or people I've met also say stuff like I should look like a guido, mimic Italian accents to me, mob jokes, pizza jokes, I expect it and sometimes play into it even if I don't like it. To be clear I also don't just tell everyone I'm Italian which IMO would be obnoxious, but people ask because of my name, I think I've brought it up on my own like 3 times in the last few years.
Another part of it is that mostly the only Italian people I know are my family, and I grew up in/live in now an area with almost no Italian Americans. I'm not part of any communal culture. My family raised me to have a lot of pride in being Southern Italian but that part of my identity feels kind of touchy. I barely mention it with anyone and when I do, most of the time there's a dismissive or ignorant reaction and it's happened so much.
To be clear I don't count this as racial discrimination, it feels xenophobic or maybe just rude? I feel like I shouldn't make it a big deal or it shouldn't hurt as much as it does but tbh I hate it. Maybe I need to develop my own strength of identity more or grow a thicker skin. ...Thoughts?